1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a golf practice net assembly and, more particularly, to a net assembly capable of allowing a user to easily and conveniently practice the launching retrieval of various sports balls in a limited area with a net of the assembly being appropriately tensioned so as to effectively stop and retain the launched sports balls.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various sports use different types of balls as an element within the particular game. These balls can include baseballs, soccer balls and footballs. Unfortunately, in many circumstances, it is necessary to have two persons involved in the throwing and return of the sports ball. For example, one can practice the throwing of baseballs, but the effort required to gather the ball after the throw would discourage such activity. Similarly, if soccer balls are kicked for a very long distance, the person kicking the ball must retrieve the ball a very long distance from where it is launched. In certain circumstances, targets have been used whereby the ball can be directed toward the target. Unfortunately, these targets can often misdirect the ball or cause the ball to travel a greater distance than if the target had not existed.
Where practice with the particular sports ball is required, then it would be desirable to have a net assembly available whereby the ball can be captured so that the person throwing or kicking the ball can easily retrieve the ball a short distance from where the ball is launched.
FIG. 1 is a view, showing prior art practice net assembly capable of allowing a user to practice golf-shots in a limited area. As shown in the drawing, the typical net assembly 1 comprises a net 4 held by a support pipe frame. The above pipe frame is formed by a plurality of flexible support pipes 2. In order to pitch the net assembly 1, the support pipes 2 are primarily coupled to each other into a pipe frame prior to being set on a support surface. In such a case, the pipe frame is bent into an arc-shaped configuration with both ends of the frame being held on the support surface. After securing the pipe frame to the support surface, the net 4 is held on the frame using a plurality of tieing bands 6, thus being pitched on the support surface.
However, the above net assembly 1 is problematic in that the pipe frame is only set on a support surface by both ends thereof without having any separate support means, thus failing to firmly support the net assembly 1. The net assembly 1 may thus easily fall over backward when it stops a flying ball. The net assembly 1 forms a two-dimensional stopping surface with a limited area, thus sometimes failing to stop a golf ball when the driving direction of the ball diverges from the stopping area of the assembly 1. In such a case, the ball may strike a person around the net assembly 1, thus-causing safety hazards. Another problem of the above net assembly 1 resides in that the net 4 is not desirably tensioned, but is somewhat loosened, thus failing to appropriately stop flying balls.
The present inventor is the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,288, issued on Apr. 3, 2001, and entitled xe2x80x9cGolf Practice Net Assemblyxe2x80x9d. Subsequent to the issuance of this patent, it was discovered that it would be desirable to provide such a device for use in association with other sports balls, such as baseballs, soccer balls and footballs. U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,288 teaches a Golf Practice Net Assembly which allows the user to easily and conveniently practice tee-shots in a limited and/or indoor area. In the net assembly, the net is appropriately tensioned so as to effectively stop flying balls without failure. The net assembly has a U-shaped unit laid on a support surface. A main support pipe is mounted to an end of each side arm of the base pipe unit. The support unit extends upwardly and is inclined outwardly relative to the side arm at an angle of 45xc2x0xc2x110xc2x0. The first and second tension pipes are coupled to each other using a joint, thus forming a tension pipe unit with a holding pin being provided at an outside of the tension pipe unit for holding a net. The tension pipe unit is mounted to the support pipe at a lower end thereof.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a practice net assembly, which allows a user to easily and conveniently practice the launching (by throwing or kicking) of various sports balls in a limited and/or indoor area, which is easily carried, kept or installed, and of which the net is appropriately tensioned, thus effectively stopping flying balls without failure.
In an effort to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a net assembly, comprising: a U-shaped base pipe unit laid on a support surface; a main support pipe mounted to an end of each side arm of the base pipe unit, the support pipe extending upwardly and being inclined outwardly relative to the side arm at an angle of 45xc2x0xc2x110xc2x0; and first and second tension pipes coupled to each other using a joint, thus forming a tension pipe unit with a holding pin being provided at an outside end of the tension pipe unit for holding a net, the tension pipe unit being mounted to the support pipe at a lower end thereof.